1st Experimental Engineers (Stormwind Army)
The 1st Experimental Company of Engineers, or more commonly, 1st Experimental Engineers or Royal Experimental Engineers, is a newly-formed company of the Stormwind Army. Based out of the Capital, the company was formed in direct response to the experiences of the Fourth War and the technological innovations of the last decade and a half. Its mandate is to set the model for future engineering and artillery companies in training, organization, and tactics. =History= Origins Fourth War Experiences The stark difference in the Fourth War, when contrasted against all but the War against the Lich King, is the major factor behind the formation of the 1st Experimental Engineers. With the rapidly increased role of artillery and explosives specialists in Alliance warfare, the conventional organization of engineers and artillery cadres has been exposed as antiquated and unacceptably 'behind the times'. Drawing inspiration from the innovative approach towards technology and operations by the Stormwind Navy - exemplified by the creation of the Stormwind Elite Aquatic and Land Forces and the formation of the Stormwind Air Corps - the Army Board has seen fit to investigate new models and technologies. Dwarven and Gnomish Innovations Iron War While not intended as an active-combat company, the the Royal Engineers were drawn into front-line duties during the initial stages of the Iron War. As one of the only full-strength professional regiments available to counter the Iron Horde's initial blitz, their experimental status was disregarded by Alliance High Command and all five regiments were ordered to active combat, either against the forces that stormed the Blasted Lands or against Blackrock remnants. Southern Front During the initial blitz, elements of the 3rd Regiment engaged Iron Horde forces. Two platoons focused on heavy artillery pieces were already on location, using the barren plains and scrubland for test ranges. On their initial contact with the invaders, these two platoons - under the joint field command of Lieutenant Sir Adam BanksKBoH (3rd Platoon commander) - immediately withdrew to Nethergarde Keep against what was, at that time, believed to be a strike by pro-Garrosh remnant forces. There, they joined the defenders of the Keep in its final hours before its fall, and saw the first front-line casualties of the Company in the War. No survivors of the two platoons are reported, and their heavy guns were discovered spiked and charged by reconaissance teams in the ruins. =Organization= The 1st Company deviates significantly from the other sapper and engineering companies of the Kingdom in a number of ways. First and foremost, it is in fact a regiment by size, consisting of five companies of 300 men each - including artillery and rifle-armed infantry. With only a handful of the officers holding noble title, the Company is not structured around aristocratic commands and none of their traditional divisions into Lances and Banners. The company is instead divided into its five companies (confusingly called regiments), each of which is under the care of a captain save for the First Regiment, which is commanded by Colonel McCready. These 'regiments' each fulfill a specific component of the Company's mandate. 1st Regiment, 1st Experimental Engineers Engineering regiment focused on unconventional tactics. Commanded by Colonel McCready. 2nd Regiment, 1st Experimental Engineers Artillery regiment, focusing primarily on light battlefield pieces. Commanded by Captain Shane Beech. 3rd Regiment, 1st Experimental Engineers Artillery regiment, focusing primarily on heavy siege and defensive guns. Commanded by Captain Jebediah Fitz-Patrick. 3rd Platoon, 3rd Regiment Commanded by Knight-Lieutenant Sir James Simms. Wiped out during the early stages of the Iron War; now rebuilding. 5th Platoon, 3rd Regiment Commanded by Lieutenant Hani Delarique. Wiped out during the early stages of the Iron War. 4th Regiment, 1st Experimental Engineers Infantry regiment focusing on rifles and extremely light field artillery. Commanded by Captain Denver de Leifeld, 10th Baron Leifeld. 1st Platoon, 4th Regiment The regimental leadership, the 1st Platoon is slightly undermanned at 20 men, and led directly by Captain Denver de Leifeld. Currently involved in trialling the Hynem rifles. 2nd Platoon, 4th Regiment Led by the Dwarven Lieutenant Donald Anvilstriker, the 2nd Platoon is dedicated to sharpshooters and marksmen. Currently involved in trialling the Hynem rifles. 3rd Platoon, 4th Regiment Led by Lieutenant Susan Hale, the 3nd Platoon is another sharpshooter unit. Currently on platoon-wide leave in Stormwind City for its commander and NCOs to attend a season of classes. 4th Platoon, 4th Regiment Led by Lieutenant Charles Daniels, the 4th is currently involved in developing new tactics in conjunction with the 5th, 6th and 7th Platoons of the 4th Regiment. Deployed in Redridge to combat the remnant Blackrock forces with these new tactics. 5th Platoon, 4th Regiment Led by Lieutenant Jonathan Hawkins and currently involved in developing new tactics in conjunction with the 4th, 6th and 7th Platoons of the 4th Regiment. Deployed in Redridge to combat the remnant Blackrock forces with these new tactics. 6th Platoon, 4th Regiment Under Lieutenant Agnes van der Wattz. Currently involved in developing new tactics in conjunction with the 4th, 5th and 7th Platoons of the 4th Regiment. 7th Platoon, 4th Regiment Commanded by Lieutenant Timothy Simmons. Currently involved in developing new tactics in conjunction with the 4th, 6th and 7th Platoons of the 4th Regiment. Deployed in Redridge to combat the remnant Blackrock forces with these new tactics. 8th Platoon, 4th Regiment A light artillery platoon, the 8th is commanded by the Gnomish Lieutenant Germ Crankratchet. Currently testing a number of light, man-portable artillery solutions for integration with the broader regiment, including rockets and light mortars. 9th Platoon, 4th Regiment Commanded by Captain Trent Lorris, the 9th Platoon is nominally a light artillery platoon, but is currently involved in testing crew-served infantry machine guns, built off models used by Gnomish tanks and Stormwind Air Corps attack helicopters. 10th Platoon, 4th Regiment Commanded by Lieutenant James Arnoldson, the 10th Platoon is currently involved in trialling the Springbrook Arms Model 3 Rifle in competition with the Hynem rifles. 11th Platoon, 4th Regiment Currently seconded to the 5th for the trial of transportation solutions for the Stormwind Army. Lieutenant Nigel Colton commands the Platoon, but has currently been replaced by Sergeant Major Sarah Calhoun due to the medical leave necessitated by his injuries sustained in the Siege of Orgrimmar and the subsequent amputation of his right arm. 5th Regiment, 1st Experimental Engineers Armoured regiment in all its glory, focusing on steam tanks and similar vehicles. Commanded by Captain Jane C. Houndsloe. Its platoons stand at 50 men a piece. 1st Platoon, 5th Regiment The command element of the Regiment, the 1st is nonetheless actively involved in trialling new models of steam tank and steam tank armaments. Commanded by Captain Houndsloe and based out of the Hekaton Testing Yards outside Ironforge. 2nd Platoon, 5th Regiment The 2nd Platoon is engaged in the development of self-propelled artillery designs at the Hekaton Testing Yards. Commanded by the Dark Iron Master Sergeant Hiram Deepstone. 3rd Platoon, 5th Regiment The 3rd Platoon is currently engaged in endurance testing on a modified steam tank chassis, based out of the Burning Steppes where the heat and ash complicate operations. Lieutenant Johnson Mary Trottenheim commands. 4th Platoon, 5th Regiment The 4th Platoon is on leave. Commanded by Lieutenant Michael Ramsay. 5th Platoon, 5th Regiment The 5th Platoon is currently trialing a series of transportation solutions with the 11th Platoon of the 4th Regiment. Under Lieutenant Evaniel Stacker, the 5th is actively investigating trucks, light armoured vehicles, rapid-deployable rail solutions, and stolen Goblin rocket-sled technology. Fatalities on the last project are abnormally high. 6th Platoon, 5th Regiment The 6th Platoon is on leave. Commanded by Lieutenant Gordon Dane, the 6th is assigned to trialling new fuelling options and will return to service in that capacity on the second day of 627. Headquarters, 1st Experimental Engineers Not a regiment of the Company, but a small detachment of servitors and bureaucrats in the direct service of Major Henry Freeman. Duties include overseeing the training and provisioning of the other four units, working with engineering companies to refine designs, and embedding with universities to ensure that the needs of the Company are met in regards to the higher education of its soldiers Standards and Training Basic Requirements All enlisted members of the Company are drawn from the ranks of the non-commissioned officers, typically sergeants. These troops must have combat experience during the Fourth War or the Second Interbellum Period, be literate, and possess at least a moderate understanding of mathematics and geometry. These requirements for selection are unusual in the Army of Stormwind, but are necessary given the Company's experimental and trail-blazing nature. Exceptional individuals who do not otherwise qualify due to ignorance of mathematics or holding a rank of Corporal may be selected for the 4th Regiment as rifleman, with the approval of the commander of the Company. Such individuals must be capable with a musket or rifle and possess no major defects of the eye. No man may serve in the 4th Regiment who is not capable of firing three rounds a minute with a smoothbore musket, or who is unable to shoot better than fifteen out of twenty shots with a rifle. Officer's Requirements In addition to the basic standards, all commissioned officers in the Company must have held rank for over one year (if this condition is not met, they may serve as an enlisted man instead) and be highly capable mathematicians with a strong understanding of geometry, either holding a degree in mathematics (or physics), or having the ability to demonstrate on demand such capacity. Officers in the 2nd and 3rd Regiments must have a minimum of one year experience commanding a battery or section of batteries, be it at land, air, or sea. Commissions in the Company may not be bought, nor may any man who has purchased his commission in another regiment be sent to the Company without having a positive record of service as an officer in either the 4th War or the Second Interbellum Period's conflicts. Enlisted Training All enlisted members of the Company are drilled regularly in the techniques and weapons of their regiment. Any member who is not mathematically capable is required to attend to a weekly lesson held by the Regimental chaplains, and all soldiers are drilled with muskets or rifles regardless of their Regiment. Officer's Training All officers of the Company are required to attend to classes in chemistry, geology, geography, geometry, mathematics and physics at the universities of Stormwind or Ironforge whenever not on field maneuvers. They are further expected to be as capable as their men in the basic drills of their regiment. =Equipment Testing= In its capacity as an experimental unit, the 1st Royal Engineers are utilized not only to experiment with doctrinal changes but to explore new technologies and equipment. With an eye towards increasingly integrating the growing industrial capacity of the Kingdom and its Dwarven allies into the army on a direct basis, the majority of this testing involves firearms, vehicles, and artillery. Small Arms Hynem Rifle A small-batch prototype rifle designed by Francis Hynem, a Dwarven Gunsmith working out of Stormwind, the Hynem Rifle is a full-size breech-loading rifle with a single shot capacity. It is currently being trialled by the 4th Regiment and evaluated in line-infantry and sharpshooter roles. Designed in early 625KY, the Hynem rifle is an attempt to address issues noticed by Hynem during his service on the Tol Barad front. Slow and often clumsy to load, the muzzle-loaders also suffered from a lack of uniformity as the bulk were provided by their wielders in place of issue muskets. This, in turn, made it difficult to maintain adequate supplies of suitable cartridges (both paper and brass), bullets, and replacement parts. Hynem set to the task of designing a rifle for sale to the Army immediately after his discharge. The result is the Hynem rifle, chambered in .600 and intended for issue first to marksmen units and then to the burgeoning line infantry. With a swivel-block breech action (where depressing a small lever opens the rifle's breech and allows the insertion of a cartridge) and an extractor rod linked to this action, the rifleman need only press a button to be able to reload swiftly. The .600 Hynem round is a standard elongated bullet with a diameter of .610. It's main feature of note is the brass casing with integral percussion cap, which removes the need to fuss with the placement of the cap in the rifle seperately from the powder and allows ammunition to be shipped as one piece. While more expensive than paper cartridges, the brass protects the powder within from dampness and accidental damage and ensures a tighter seal in the chamber upon firing, and thus, higher muzzle velocity. Prospects The Hynem rifle is a solid design, and barring the rise of a suitable competitor, is likely to be introduced as part of the modernization program in its sharpshooter role. The principle issues inhibiting the Hynem from broader success apply largely to line-infantry roles, especially the swivel-block's stiff and unyielding action. Cost remains a major issue with the expensive rifles, further rendering it unfit for broader service but ideal for issue to skirmisher and sharpshooter regiments. The .600 Hynem round is an excellent design compared to the sometimes lacking rifle it was designed for. Though oversized by many metrics, it is intended to carry the necessary punch to handle larger enemies such as tauren or ogres, and excels in this capability. With a fast-burning smokeless powder and fine fragmentation, properly placed shots with the round hold great potential against mankind's larger foes, and the round is already slated for further developments for other platforms. Springbrook Arms Model 3 Rifle A prototype rifle from the Elwynn-based Springbrook Arms Company, the Model 3 is being trialled in line-infantry and sharpshooter roles, with a carbine variant in trials by the 5th Regiment. Springbrook Arms Main Rifle, Model 3 Springbrook Arms Model 3 Carbine A significantly shortened variant, the SAMC has a half-stock and a markedly shorter barrel. While this results in a marked decrease in range, it makes the rifle suitable for tankers and second-line troops (e.g., artillery crews). Stover Arms Self-Loading Rifle Of the trialled rifles, only the Stover SLR offers a magazine rather than single-shot capacity. A breech-loading rifle utilizing a six round tube magazine under the barrel and a lever action derived from Pandaren designs, the Stover SLR is chambered for an uncommonly small round, a propriety .255 copper-cased round with a markedly higher velocity than its competitors. Relatively complex and expensive, prospects for the Stover SLR are dim despite its superiority in fire rate and range over its competitors. Outside of limited deployment in specialist circles, the rifle is too complicated for the bulk of Stormwind's recruits, who have rarely seen firearms more complex than muzzle-loading shotguns. Vehicles Heston Tank A variant steam tank design focusing on durability, designed by the eminent Sir George Heston the Fourth. Powered by a new fuel oil engine design, the Heston is freed from the usual reliance on coal that has hampered steam tank deployment. Each tank is crewed by four men, with eight units in current testing and a pending order for two dozen for field testing if the initial testing proves favourable. Construction The Heston tank design calls for the use of a solid steel frame, replacing the iron and bronze of some older designs. This is an increasingly common feature, however, and the most marked departure from conventional designs is the reliance on extremely durable armour. The thorium-steel alloy used to create the sloping armour plates of the Heston tank is extraordinarily tough, with nearly three times the tensile and compressive strengths of ordinary steels produced in Stormwind. The trade-off for this plating is twofold: First, it is extremely expensive due to the relative rarity of thorium and the difficulty of working with thorium, and second, it is far heavier, resulting in an extremely slow tank. This departure from the conventional design has its roots in the increasingly effective anti-tank weaponry developed by Goblin engineers in response to the rising role of armoured vehicles in warfare. With new variants of the RPG-G having little problem severely damaging most marks of steam tank, the Heston is designed specifically to counter anti-armour weaponry. Its extremely durable plating and sloped armour both combine to make conventional shells and specially designed armour-piercing rounds ineffective (until, at least, the enemy adapts.) without luck or extremely specific shot placement. The second major departure is the use of a Gnome designed 12-cylinder fuel oil engine, designed to work primarily with refined diesel. While similar designs have been used, they have largely been retrofits into existing tank hulls. The Heston is designed from the ground up around the Crankshaft Model 7 V12, allowing it to make the fullest use of the engine's capacities. Supplying the CM-7 engine is a pair of fuel tanks. With many of the other liquid-powered tank and carrier designs having been subjected to sabotage or destruction by enemies targetting the tanks specifically, each 200-litre tank is constructed with reinforced steel and protected by the thorium-alloy plating. With full tanks and under ideal conditions, the Heston has a road range of around 75 miles. The third major departure is the primitive turret housing the Heston's armament. Mounted on a partial track, this turret has a fixed frontal rotation of 110 degrees, and houses both the tank's gunner and loading mechanisms. A significant flaw in this early prototype is presented by the lack of a small turret magazine, resulting in load delays as each shell must be passed up from the main hull. While this protects against magazine detonations from turret-shots, it also markedly delays reloading. The testing crews have already begun to weld improvised shell racks in place. Armament The Heston is lightly armed compared to most steam tank designs in service. Rather than rely on a large-caliber, short-barreled quasi-mortar unable to achieve direct fire, the Heston focuses instead on accurate direct fire with volume of fire to compensate for the small size of each individual round. The 45-mm gun mounted on its turret fires a 4-pound shell. This shell, currently available only in high explosive, provides high accuracy at ranges out to two kilometres, and remains effective up to three kilometres. Designed primarily to deal with the lightly-armoured Orcish demolishers and infantry, concerns have nonetheless been raised about the inability of the Heston's main gun to penetrate even modestly armoured vehicles. With the Horde's increasing industrial proficiency, analysts suggest Goblins may soon develop a true counter to the steam-tank, rendering the Heston's 45-mm completely ineffective. The secondary 2-pounder gun fires a lighter shell designed for maximum fragmentation, intended for use on enemy infantry and gun crews. With a kilometre and a half effective range, it is of little utility except in dire situations and the test crews remain sceptical as to its usefulness in actual combat conditions. Covetous eyes are turned to the machine-gun designs in testing by the 4th Regiment, and among certain crews, to the notion of an even-shorter ranged fire-gel projector. Doctrine Though rapidly developing with every test, the current doctrine for the Heston tank is extremely simple. Its role in the army, if approved (an increasingly unlikely prospect as test after test reveals new problems, such as its total unsuitability to wet or unstable soils and difficulty with major inclines), would be to act as a heavy frontal assault weapon. With 'invulnerable' frontal plating and a slow speed, if adopted the Heston would be dispatched to rumble in a broad wave across the battlefield, shielding infantry and destroying enemy fortifications and armour with its guns, or when necessary, sheer force of weight. Prospects Though a strong design, the Heston's flaws render it unsuitable for service. Without major revisions, the design is unlikely to be adopted as part of the modernization program, though a handful may be used in its intended doctrinal role to shield the advance of lighter vehicles. Given that its only great advantage over contemporary designs is ease of fueling, the Heston is overall an underwhelming design. Over-armoured even for its intended role, undergunned, with insufficient engine power (and wheels rather than track) and an inability to traverse difficult terrain, the Heston is more a semi-mobile bunker than a tank and unsuited for service. This impression was confirmed in the first combat action ever undertaken by the design. The eight testing units were rushed from the Hekaton Testing Yard to the battlefront of the Blasted Lands during the second major wave of reinforcements for the beleagured beachhead forces. Faced with the heavy artillery and tanks of the Iron Horde, the armour of the design proved inadequate and all eight units were destroyed in their initial engagement. While Iron Horde tanks are poorly designed and lack strong penetrating munitions, their heavy plating proved near invulnerable to the heston's light armament. With their failure against a mechanized enemy, the design has been rejected and the proposed order of two-dozen cancelled. Hammer Gun Carrier Self-propelled heavy gun prototype, designed by Vargas Ramsay. RL-1 Self-Propelled Rocket Artillery While the use of rockets in warfare is not new to the Dwarves of Ironforge and rose to increasingly important heights during the Fourth War - with RPG-Gs and helicopter rockets decisively turning the tide of many engagements in favour of the Alliance - the concept of the RL-1 is unprecedented in the militaries of the two states. Designed by a Gnomish workshop, the RL-1 is a self-propelled wheeled artillery piece designed around a barrage doctrine. Utilizing a detachable launch system, the RL-1 is capable of rapid-firing twelve hundred-pound rockets with fifteen-pound explosive warheads. Designed primarily for area bombardment and area denial, the RL-1 will undergo field trials at the Hekaton Testing Yards in 628KY. Supplies, Uniforms, Etc Often overlooked in the logistics of an army are basic needs beyond weapons and food. Clothing, mess kits, medical supplies and even bedding must be all considered, if not actually issued, and the 1st Experimental Engineers are also being used as a testbed for new ideas, designs and doctrines for this miscellaney. Mess Tins A mess tin design is currently in testing, consisting of a six-inch wide semi-circular tin design, welded along the seams. This design incorporates both pan and tray, with the tray fitting into the pan and leaving sufficient room for food or water to store and cook in the pan section. A toggle-latch with rubber gasket, derived from a Gnomish design, serves to secure the lid, and a simple cloth grip may be mounted to two attachment rings on the sides of the tin. At present, it is issued with a black rubberized canvas cover, but the expense of this is leading towards adopting plain canvas or linen covers for broader deployment.